


Catch Me When I Fall

by j_gabrielle



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Angst, Bully, Community: pacificrimkink, Implied Past Abuse, M/M, mako being a badass, ppdc family feels, protective feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-17
Updated: 2013-07-17
Packaged: 2017-12-20 11:48:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/886914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/j_gabrielle/pseuds/j_gabrielle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the kink meme prompt: <a href="http://pacificrimkink.livejournal.com/350.html?thread=2398#t2398">Hermann used to be bullied as a child, and is WILDLY insecure about EVERYTHING. Newton on the other hand, is the most confident person, to ever grace their lab. Maybe they go out drinking with the Jaeger pilots (hysterically ignoring the ending of the movie so i wont start sobbing) and they run into some people who used to bully Hermann, and Newton and the others will not stand for it... Give me fluff!

Bonuses!
~Newton and Hermann were in an actual relationship before this happens
~Chuck and Raleigh are freakishly protective of them
Mega bonus if Mako or Newton beats the bejesus out of one (or more) of them</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	Catch Me When I Fall

**Author's Note:**

> OP, I deviated a little from the original prompt, so I apologise for that :)
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy this all the same.

“Another round please!” Hermann calls to the bartender, grinning. Turning around, he catches sight of the crew at their booth; Pentecost solemnly taking a sip of his pint, the hints of smiles twitching at the corners of his lips, Herc laughing openly at his son being climbed over by Max, Mako covering her mouth as mirth twinkles her brown eyes as she giggles. Tendo and Raleigh have their heads bent close together in deep discussion—no doubt catching up about the time spent apart. Newton is looking his way though, and Hermann tamps down on the blush undoubtedly creeping up his neck.

The arsehole winks his way, and Hermann lets a smile crack through despite himself, feeling a warm glow settle in his chest.

“Hermann? Snivelly Hermy?”

He immediately freezes up, his heart dropping to the deepest pits of hell at the sound of the voice from his nightmares. Slowly, he turns around, feeling his heart beat tattoo against his ribs.

Of all the people he had to meet in a noisy, crowded pub that was half a world away from his hometown!

“Hello Michael.” He grits, digging his fists into the flesh of his thigh. ‘Must not panic. Must not let him win. Must not. Must not…’ He chants mentally.

“So it is you!” Hermann is transported to schooldays shoved into hallway broom cupboards, hiding in toilets, the constant _fear_ of being cornered when he walks home from school, the utter helplessness that he feels everyday when he wakes up till the moment he goes to bed. “How have you been? Still snivelling in a cupboard somewhere?” It makes something in him roil uncomfortably, burning white hot with rage at the way Michael spoke to him. As if he was talking to a _friend_.

He forces himself to look up and face his old tormentor. Even though they’d long since left the dark walls and dull lessons, Michael had not changed one bit. Most people would think that their personal tormentors were ugly, fat and disgusting, but Michael… Michael was, and still is as handsome as he was when he was 13. The baby fat was obviously gone, leaving behind a well-defined jaw, and full lips. His mud brown hair is artfully dishevelled and he dresses as if he has just walked off the pages of a magazine. Hermann swallows the bile rising in the back of his throat.

“What’s the cane for?” Michael asks casually. Hermann contemplates not bothering with an answer.

“I had an accident in my twenties. Can’t do without it now, I’m afraid.” He offers involuntarily, inwardly cursing himself. He edges away carefully, feeling the familiar tightening of his chest creep at the edges of his consciousness.

Suddenly, as if like a wraith from the stories of old, Michael grabs him by his wrist, pinning it against the cool wood surface of the bar top. Hermann tries to push him away, but Michael is built like a tonne of bricks and all his effort earns him is a snatch of laughter, mocking and cruel.

“Oh, Hermy… Still remember do you?” Michael purrs, voice low and dark against his ear. And it is in that moment that Hermann sees the evil gleam in his baby blue eyes; the same slivers of ice that haunts him in the dead of night. “Can’t believe my luck in finding you here tonight. Thought I was going to have to find some broad and be gentle when I fuck her, be kind when I touch her… But we both know you don’t need that now, don’t we?” He laughs again, pushing his body close.

“L-Let me go!” Hermann gasps, voice cracking as he tries to push him away. “Let… let me go!”The memory of pain, fire, salty tears, and pleas of ‘no’ repeated helplessly against as the _monster_ …

 “I think Doctor Gottlieb told you to let go.”

The sound of Pentecost’s voice brings him out of his personal Inferno, and he feels strong hands pull him away from Michael. “Shh… Shh… It’s okay.” Tendo’s arms wrap themselves around his shoulders, cocooning him in a blanket of ‘safe’, ‘friends’, ‘care’.

“Hey, he wanted it! The little shit still-”

Whatever he had planned to say next is lost when _Newton_ delivers a particularly vicious left hook.

“You shut up! You… Shut the _fuck_ up!” Newton spits, scrabbling forward to gain his balance. Chuck manages to grab him by the shoulder before he could punch him again, pulling him back even though Hermann can tell that the man wants to deliver his a punch of his own. By now the have gathered quite the audience.

Michael winces, sneering at Newton. “Well, well. Hermy’s got a boyfriend.” He emphasis on the last word with thinly-veiled contempt and disgust. Blue eyes meet his, “Does he know, Hermy? Have you told him?” He smiles, wide and wrong.

“I think you need to leave.” Pentecost says, the warning clear in every word. He jerks his head and Herc comes forward, both of them flanking Michael.

“I’m not going anywhere!” Michael frowns, challenging. “I’ve just as much right to be here as you do! You’re not the owner.”

Mako steps forward, her petite figure tense and coiled for a fight. “Please leave, sir.”

Michael raises an eyebrow at her, hand still at his jaw. He turns his eyes back at Hermann, “Getting a girl to fight your battles now?” He mocks.

Swiftly, Mako kicks her leg out, dispatching him to the ground. She rolls over in one graceful arc, grabbing and pinning Michael’s arms behind him. “Look around you. You are standing in the midst of members of the Pan Pacific Defence Corps. You are harassing a well-respected member of our team. We don’t take it very well when one of our own is disturbed.” Mako whispers, “You _need_ to leave.”

She waits until Pentecost makes a soft noise of approval to let him go. Wordlessly, Hermann feels Raleigh move past him, moving to grab Michael on one side while Chuck takes his other arm.

“Watch yourself on your way out. And don’t bother coming back.” Pentecost calls to Michael as the pilots half-dragged him out the door. The Marshall shares a look with the bartender and he nods. “Are you alright, Doctor?”

“Wha…? Yes. Yes, I am.” He mutters as the noise around them begins to pick up. Hermann feels himself be pulled back to their booth. Newton places a hand on the small of his back, guiding him into the booth first. Chuck clicks his tongue and in an instant, Max climbs onto his lap, settling in like a blob of heat and fur. He lets his fingers sink into the dog’s coat, stroking.

Newton presses himself close, radiating comfort from his every pore. Hermann knows that some of the darker aspects that he keeps quiet about, the things Newton has only had glimpses of in the Drift will have to be explained before the man lets his mind run off in a million tangents.

“Alright?” Newton asks quietly.

“I’m…” Hermann tries, and is aware of the way his crew is looking at him. “I’m not okay. But I will be.” He says softly.

 _I will be_. And for the first time in a very long time, he knows that to be the truth.

 

 

[end.]


End file.
